Four Patriots Honored at Annual Awards Ceremony

Posted: May 8, 2003 at 1:00 am, Last Updated: November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

Four George Mason student-athletes were honored at the annual Student-Athlete Awards Ceremony, held Tuesday evening in the SUB II Ballroom. Three students were selected for the Dr. Frank Pettrone Student-Athlete of the Year Award. The male award went to senior volleyball player Art Kulans, while the female award was shared by lacrosse senior Jill Toomey and volleyball junior Aline Pereira. In addition, senior wrestler Adrian Austin received the Aimee Willard Commemorative Award.

In addition to these major awards, each Patriot senior student-athlete was presented with the George Mason Award, a statue in the likeness of George Mason. The award is in recognition of the culmination of a student’s participation in intercollegiate athletics.

The Dr. Frank Pettrone Student-Athlete of the Year Award recipients were selected by George Mason student-athletes, and the selection was based on being a team player on and off the field, demonstrating motivational qualities and good sportsmanship, and maintaining good academic standing.

The Aimee Willard Commemorative Award is presented to the George Mason student-athlete who best exemplifies the standards of quality set by Willard, a former two-sport Patriot star (soccer and lacrosse) who was murdered in Philadelphia in 1996. These standards of quality include intensity, consistency of purpose, achievement, and teamwork. Nominees are selected by head coaches, and the recipient is selected by Gail Willard, Aimee’s mother, and the Willard family.